College of Alameda vs. San Diego City College

Comparable Facts

Compare College of Alameda in Alameda, CA with San Diego City College in San Diego, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

San Diego City College is larger than College of Alameda based on total student enrollment (13,242 students vs. 6,141 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of Alameda is located in Alameda, CA (Large Suburban setting); San Diego City College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• College of Alameda is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of Alameda 38:1; San Diego City College 22:1.

College of Alameda vs. San Diego City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of Alameda or San Diego City College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego City College than College of Alameda ($10,040 vs. $12,506).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Alameda are 27% lower than at San Diego City College ($22,820 vs. $31,243).
• College of Alameda is 9.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego City College (about $112 more per year; $1,258.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.1% higher at San Diego City College than at College of Alameda (about $104 more per year; $10,002.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Diego City College than at College of Alameda (87% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego City College students is 95% larger than aid received by College of Alameda students ($10,500 vs. $5,385).

College of Alameda vs. San Diego City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of Alameda or San Diego City College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between San Diego City College and College of Alameda.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: College of Alameda - Open admission; San Diego City College - Open admission.

College of Alameda vs. San Diego City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of Alameda and San Diego City College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from College of Alameda earn a median of about $3,500 more per year than San Diego City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,700 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More College of Alameda graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego City College students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 30%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.